IP: CIA DIRECTOR WARNS OF INFORMATION WARFARE

[Dave Farber <farber@central.cis.upenn.edu>]

CIA DIRECTOR WARNS OF INFORMATION WARFARE
Central Intelligence Agency Director John Deutch says the trend toward
increased reliance by companies on telecommunications and computer networks
is making the U.S. more vulnerable to other countries' information warfare
tactics.  "The electron, in my judgment, is the ultimate precision-guided
munition.  Virtually any single `bad actor' can acquire the hardware and
software needed to attack some of our critical information-based
infrastructures...  We have evidence that a number of countries around the
world are developing the doctrine, strategies and tools to conduct
information attacks."  Deutch predicts that the threat of cyber attacks
will be "very, very close to the top" of the CIA's list of worries,
"especially if you ask me to look 10 years down the road."  (Wall Street
Journal 26 Jun 96 B6)